5 Tips for Pre-Production Success

24th January 2018 by CH

It’s not as sexy as shouting Lights, Camera, Action! but getting your head into pre-production is what you need to succeed in creating awesome video content.

Just like you wouldn’t go on a year-long trip around the world without some planning ahead, you wouldn’t start filming without having a script or a clear vision of what you want to achieve. Pre-production is where all of those things come together.

Here’s our top tips to help you get it right!

1. Nail down your video brief

The video brief is the first step that everyone involved needs to know about, including your video agency. It’s where you agree all the important things like why you’re creating the video, your budget, when the deadline is or who your target audience are.

Need more help? Follow our easy step-by-step guide on writing a clear video brief.

2. Define your deadlines

Having a realistic set of deadlines right from the start will save you a lot of headaches later. Once you know the final delivery date, you can work backwards to plan the project development in stages, including dates for reviewing the first cut and time to work on the amends. This ensures nobody is scrambling to shoot the whole thing and edit it in just a couple of days, which is no fun for anyone!

3. It’s storytelling time

This is all about creating the script and narrative which is a collaborative and creative process between you and your video agency. Whether it’s a piece to camera or interview questions, this is a crucial part of the mix.

4. Lock down the content

Another key element of pre-production is storyboarding . This outlines the exact content so you can lock down everything featured in the video. Storyboarding will help you envisage what is being produced, so you can agree everything before starting work. It also helps to determine which resources your video project needs and can help your agency when creating mood boards and design frames to start defining the look and feel of the video and give you a sneak peek of the final product.

5. Use a professional

If it sounds like there’s a lot to think about and keep track of during pre-production, it’s because there is! But don’t worry, come to a production company like us and we’ll look after you